I just HAD to start a "stilton" a few days ago.
Actually I started one on April 27 when the tornado band hit from Mississippi to north of me in Virginia, and I lost power, internet... one tree, and the stilton in the make.
Just smoothed this one and it's ready for the cave.
Its like an awesome cake!
Can I get one for my birthday?!
LOL, it DOES look kinda like a birthday cake, doesn't it?
I only have 2 molds (so far) and the taller one wouldn't hold all the curds.
Yay!!! A new one and no electricity loss!
You're funny, Sue!
I was really surprised at the ease of smoothing the voids. I had saved a couple of tablespoons of curds from the make to use for the voids, but only needed some where one edge had crumbled. The rest smoothed easily with the spatula I use for icing cakes. Messy, though since it was at room temps.
Help!! BIG Oops... I used Linuxboy's recipe and directions from here:
http://www.wacheese.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=71:stilton-approximation-howto&catid=38:bloomy-rind-and-blue&Itemid=58 (http://www.wacheese.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=71:stilton-approximation-howto&catid=38:bloomy-rind-and-blue&Itemid=58)
I was following the directions step-by-step, but somehow missed the step of adding salt to the curds. What can I do at this point, if anything?
You can surface salt, or brine. IMHO, brining is a little tough because this cheese is rather acidic. Surface salting would work pretty well.
How much surface salt to a 1300g wheel?
Or do I salt more than once?
That looks great! I'm thinking of making a stilton like cheese soon. We're going to be away for a week in the near future though, so I'm putting it off until we get back.
- Jeff
Quote from: darius on May 12, 2011, 06:33:59 PM
How much surface salt to a 1300g wheel?
Or do I salt more than once?
What coarseness salt? For medium, flake type salt, I would salt twice. At day one out of the mold (should be about day 5-6 from the start of the make), and at day 3. I would salt at 3% of weight the first time, and about 2% the second time. You could also do a light salting the third time, about 10 days from the beginning of the make.. maybe 1% more. Depends how salty you want it and how you want to surface to grow. You could also do something like 4-5% right away to build more of a salt gradient and have less mold on the surface.
Thanks, Pav. I have flake salt and will salt it asap. Don't know how I missed that step!
Jeff, good luck when you make yours. The recipe I used is really great (if you don't forget the salt!) and pretty easy to do. The first one I used (the failure due to tornadoes) wasn't as easy through the steps.
At the beginning of this thread, I mentioned I had started my first 'Stilton' when the tornadoes hit and I lost power... including the online recipe and instructions I was following.
I decided to save it anyway, just for the experience. When we got power again and I checked the recipe, I found the biggest thing I missed was the size of the curds. By the time I could read the recipe, it was many days later so no changes were possible.
At any rate, here it is at 26 days, just pierced. (The second one above that looks like a birthday cake is coming along, slowly. It's rather moist on the surface so I'm opening the container more often now.)
Thanks for the update. I won't be able to start any more cheeses for a few weeks, but a blue is in the plan for the fairly near future. I want to try and age one out for 90 days. Will see.
- Jeff
Both your cheeses are looking good! I must jump on the Stilton bandwagon soon.
Pam
I intended to update this thread a week ago. My blues went into the garbage bin. I was away for 4 days, turned them before I left and left the rubbermaid tub lid slightly ajar. When I got home and went to turn them again, there was a fly in the container and maggots in at least the earlier blue. I threw them both away, all 5 pounds. No more aging in the root cellar until winter, unless vacuum-sealed!!
I did cut it open to see how the veining was looking. I'm pretty pleased with that part.
Bummer. You could always use mosquito netting under the lid.
Ahhh, great idea, Sailor!
That mottled rind looks fabulous! Should be interesting to see how the unsmoothed surface turns out in terms of mold penetration into the deep crevices between the curds. Very curious to see a slice when you finally cut it . . .
Brandnetel, it went into the garbage... re-read my post from yesterday.
Quote from: darius on May 22, 2011, 05:04:29 PM
At the beginning of this thread, I mentioned I had started my first 'Stilton' when the tornadoes hit and I lost power... including the online recipe and instructions I was following.
I decided to save it anyway, just for the experience. When we got power again and I checked the recipe, I found the biggest thing I missed was the size of the curds. By the time I could read the recipe, it was many days later so no changes were possible.
At any rate, here it is at 26 days, just pierced. (The second one above that looks like a birthday cake is coming along, slowly. It's rather moist on the surface so I'm opening the container more often now.)
Man, darius, have to say - that looks downright beautiful. Great. Another cave I have to build, thanks. ;D
Thanks, Paul. I really feel good about the development of those 2 blues even though they ended up in the garbage bin.
Oh, arghhhhh - sorry, darius, didn't see your above post, only saw the pic of your beautiful blue from the last page. I'm so sorry, man! Congratulations nevertheless on crafting such a beautiful wheel - I'm sure next round will be a home run. :)
Allow me to add my condolences to the list. The veining did look splendid!
Such a shame. It was looking very promising. I think the netting would do the trick, and the progress you were making suggests it is certainly worth doing again.
- Jeff
I was having some danblue today and compering it side by side to my stilton and despite being of different style I much prefered mine,
Less salty,more mild (I like this strain of italian PR,gone keep buying it) and better texture.
Crappy phone picture,
The one's from my dads nikon D40 will come up soon. >:D
Some 3 month out gouda which seems to have overly acidify, wasnt a success.
Some lactic cheese logs with cheevs,very early PC and sweet paprica.
Never fear Jeff... I got back on the horse again this evening. Curds are just now cut, and healing.
Excellent to hear! A cheese for perseverance!
- Jeff